


We will always be a work in progress

by allyavenue



Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Gen, he's a lonely country doctor, she's a burnt out professor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-11
Updated: 2018-10-17
Packaged: 2019-07-29 15:20:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16266914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allyavenue/pseuds/allyavenue
Summary: “I’ve known the Doctor since university, I promise he’s not going to kill you or annoy you or anything.  Well, I can’t make total promises on the annoying part.  He is quirky.”“I still can’t believe that you expect me to just call him ‘Doctor’.  Doesn’t he have a proper name?  I’m a doctor too, but I don’t insist on going by that title all the time.  He sounds...mad.  You’d have to be to let a complete stranger live in your house.”  River took a breath and started filling another bag with clothes.  If what she was saying was true, then she was equally insane to be moving in with a complete stranger.





	1. Chapter 1

“For the last time, would you just relax?”

River sighed and balanced her phone between her ear and shoulder as she shoved shirts into an already overflowing suitcase. “I don’t even know this man, how I am supposed to live with him for four months?” A few pieces of clothing managed to settle in the bag and she threw the rest over her shoulder in frustration. She could practically sense Amy’s eye rolling on the other side of the call.

“I’ve known the Doctor since university, I promise he’s not going to kill you or annoy you or anything. Well, I can’t make total promises on the annoying part. He is quirky.”

“I still can’t believe that you expect me to just call him ‘Doctor’. Doesn’t he have a proper name? I’m a doctor too, but I don’t insist on going by that title all the time. He sounds...mad. You’d have to be to let a complete stranger live in your house.” River took a breath and started filling another bag with clothes. If what she was saying was true, then she was equally insane to be moving in with a complete stranger. “All I’m saying is that if he turns out to be a murderer or a stalker or something equally detrimental to my work, I’m blaming you.”

Work. River took a moment to ponder this. It was true that she had told Amy about her frustrations as a university professor. Recently, a lack of resources and an increased number of classes to teach had left her feeling stretched thin. Semester after semester at Luna University, there had been too little sleep and too many papers to write and assignments to grade. Usually, River had relished the feeling of being busy and needed and important, but the last semester had proven to fold even her. She frowned, thinking of all the sleepless nights and skipped meals, the lonely evenings spent in her flat writing proposals and grasping at funding with her fingernails. 

Amy broke her out of her self-indulgent bout of memories with a huff. “For god’s sake, River, you’re the one who told me that you couldn’t spend another minute working in that city. What was I supposed to do with that information? The Doctor’s house is out in the country, It’s beautiful. You’ll love it. If you ask me, you should be relaxing, not doing the same thing in a different landscape.”

Ignoring Amy’s last comment, River sighed. “As long as I get work done without being interrupted by police sirens or my loud neighbors every five minutes, I’ll survive it.” River could sense Amy holding back her unwelcome, albeit true, comments about how River’s devotion to her work was causing her more harm than reward lately. “Anyways, I’ve got to finish packing.”

After pledging to call Amy when she arrived at the mysterious Doctor’s house, River ended the call.

 

 

Standing at the doorstep of the Doctor’s house, River was aware that this would be the most unique sabbatical she’d ever take. And that was including the time she lived in the ruins of an ancient city for two months with nothing but the company of a small band of locals (curmudgeons, the lot of them).

The Doctor’s house stood in complete contrast to the environment around it. Amidst rolling fields and dirt roads, the almost offensively bright yellow house stuck out noticeably. The garage door was closed, but River could see an amalgamation of mechanical parts through a small window. From around the back of the house peeked a garden, teeming with colorful plants that only the end of summer could bring about. River’s hand hovered somewhere near the door, but she couldn’t bring herself to knock just yet. This house certainly wasn’t what she had been expecting of a reclusive country doctor.

Before River could gather herself, the door swung open. She raised her eyebrows while taking in the lanky and grinning man that stood before her. She noted the disheveled hair, suspenders and the bow tie. 

“Hello there!” The man, the Doctor, grinned and offered a hand. River dropped her hand from where it had been hovering near the door to take his slender hand and shake it. “You must be River, Amy’s told me all about you and your er, predicament.” He offered a nervous laugh and stepped aside. “Come in, come in! I’ve got your room set up and everything. Bit proud of it if I do say so myself.”

River stepped through the narrow doorway into the foyer of the house, her mind buzzing with questions. On one hand, the inside of the Doctor’s house was a shock to her senses, strange lights shining from behind closed doors accompanied by the occasion buzz of electricity greeted her as she followed him down the hall. In the sitting room, books lines the walls in an array of sizes and colors. While catching a whiff of something altogether unfamiliar from the kitchen, River decided that this house’s stark difference from her tidy flat was not an unwelcome surprise. After all, at least there was something interesting to look at. If this man turned out to be dull or annoying, she could certainly make use of his home library for her trouble.

The other line of thought occupying River’s attention focused on the Doctor’s comment from moments before, that he had learned about her “problem”. She sighed and realized belatedly that she probably should have monitored what Amy told this man about her a tad more carefully. She had no idea what kind of person the Doctor was expecting her to be.

Well, focusing on the house around her was much easier than following that line of thought.

“Looks like your housekeepers been out for a while, sweetie. Or have they suffocated under a pile of books?” She raised an eyebrow, relishing the way he started at her words and clumsily turned to face her.

“Ah, the tidiness did get away from me a bit. I’ve been busy.” He scratched the back of his neck and smiled at her.

“And what exactly keeps you busy, Doctor?” She raised an eyebrow, amused by his awkwardness. “Amy told me you practice medicine, but I haven’t seen a hospital or office for miles out here.”

The Doctor shrugged and started ascending the stairs. “I don’t do hospitals. Used to, a bit. All the hustle and bustle and people…” he grimaced, “Let’s just say it wasn’t conducive to my work, yeah? Now I mostly make house calls to the surrounding farms and neighborhoods. You’d be surprised how often I’m needed.”

River shrugged in response. “Whatever works for you, so long as I’m allowed to work in peace.” She was already itching to return to her writing, the disruption in her daily schedule tugging at her brain like an insistent toddler.

Halfway up the stairs, the Doctor whipped around suddenly and nearly collided his forehead with a collection of fairy tales arranged haphazardly on the banister. “Work?” his eyebrows, although difficult to distinguish, moved closer together. “I thought that was what you were trying to escape from!”

Although it was a bit difficult to maneuver herself on the stairs, especially when laden with bags, River placed a hand on her hip stubbornly. “Maybe you heard Amy wrong, or maybe she was lying in the name of what she thinks are my best interests. But let’s get one thing straight,” She moved up a step, locking eyes with this strange man who didn’t know her at all, but who was just now beginning to fear her quite a bit. “I am not here for a holiday or because I need a break. I am here to focus on my research and my writing. You seem like a nice man, really. I’m doing my best to figure you out and that’s what I’ve got so far. But please, don’t presume to know anything about my wellbeing or my work.”

A moment of silence, hanging in the air.

The Doctor gulped and scratched at his cheek. “Let’s go see your room then.”

Feeling somewhat more certain that she had gotten her point across, River smiled.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thanks to the kind people who left their support in the form of kudos or comments. I haven't written or posted on this site in a while, and feedback lets me know that I'm not doing this completely wrong. Either way, please let me know what you think!

The room that the Doctor had provided for River was probably the least eccentric room in the house, and that was more than alright with her. Although she could already tell that exploring the house, especially the massive library and whatever contraptions were being stored in the garage, would be entertaining, a girl did need some respite and peace every now and then. It was obvious that the Doctor had taken great care to make the room tidy and welcoming. The bed was neatly made up with a purple duvet and a vase of flowers sat on a dresser near the only window in the room. River took a few moments to look around before finally placing her bags on the bed.

“It’s not much,” the Doctor said. “I’m really not one for keeping things...orderly. This was the best I could do. But it’s loads better than the rest of the house. I mean, blimey, you should see my room…”. He trailed off and turned an amusing shade of pink while River raised a bemused eyebrow. “Not like that! I just mean that this is easily the best room in the house, if you like things being neat. Which I suppose most people do.”

“People must hate your house then, sweetie. I’m rather undecided at the moment.” River opened her overstuffed suitcase, causing shirts and socks to spill out over the bedspread.

“I don’t have people around the house very often, usually I visit their houses when I make calls. Occasionally if someone needs extra care I’ll bring them here, but usually they’d go to the hospital.” The Doctor shrugged. “Speaking of which, I need to head out on my rounds.” He glanced at the window; the sun was just beginning to set. River nodded, realizing that she hadn’t eaten dinner throughout all of her travelling that day.

“I’ll be fine here, I need to get settled and write a bit anyways.” 

The Doctor swallowed, looking like a man who valued his own well-being too much to protest. After all, he’d been told off a mere five minutes ago. Therefore, he simple nodded and adjusted his bow tie. “Very well, I’ll be back late. Feel free to help yourself to whatever is in the kitchen. I’m afraid it’s not much at the moment but I usually go shopping on Mondays, so we should be getting more in tomorrow.” He smiled. “I’ll see you later, River Song.”

River smiled back, “Bye, Doctor.”

With a slight and awkward bow, the Doctor backed out of the room. As River was finishing her unpacking, she heard an engine revving up below. She glanced out the window and was met with the sight of the Doctor zooming away on a motorcycle. Perhaps it was possible for this man to become even more strange to her!

 

Ignoring the protests of her stomach, River prepared herself for an evening of writing. Her room included a small wooden desk that she quickly set up similarly to her office at home. Observing the layout of her notes, pens and computer, she let out a deep breath. This would be good for her. Being in the apartment, that tiny office...it wasn’t helping her mental state or her work. But here she was, out in a beautiful corner of the country, privileged enough to be able to write and work in this beautiful setting all day instead of teaching and attending meetings and holding office hours. She was going to make this opportunity count.

The evening passed in a whirlwind as River pored over her notes and the data compiled from a recent bout of research. The project, which even she had to admit had sounded boring at first, involved a database of archaeological data that has been combined and georeferenced to fit a map of geological data. It was useful information and somewhat important work, not to mention the fact that River had no problem working with the computer program. It was simply...less flavorful than the work she preferred. Going out into the field, taking students on digs and helping them discover a world beyond their own, that was what she preferred. Still, the fact that she could be productive at all made her feel stable, accomplished.

It was nearly midnight when River looked up from her work. A creak in the floorboard behind her had pulled her from her slow but steady submersion in the program she was using. She turned her head slowly, noting the slight ache in her neck from bending over files earlier.

“Did I not make the bed properly?” The Doctor, leaning against the door frame, crossed his arms.

River yawned. “Bed looks fine, I just don’t need it right now. How were your rounds?” She reluctantly closed her laptop.

The Doctor shrugged. “Pretty standard, just a few cases of the flu and a sprained wrist. It’ll get worse in a few more months when the farms around here begin harvesting.” He sighed. “Anyways, I’m starving. Did you have a chance to eat dinner or have you been sitting up here for the past,” a quick glance at his watch “four hours?”.

River’s face remained calm, but she jolted inside. Had it really only been four hours? She felt as if she’d been working for both ages and seconds. “I suppose so. I could do with some food myself, now that you mention it.”

The Doctor smiled and clasped his hands together casually. “Brilliant, let’s see what I’ve got in the kitchen.”

After a quick trip down the stairs and through the nearly toppling labyrinth of books, River and the Doctor found themselves in front of a mostly empty refrigerator.

“No offense sweetie, but how are you still alive?” River eyed the few foods warily.

The Doctor shrugged and began retrieving various elements from around the kitchen. “Many of the people around here know me. When I stop by to help them, it’s not uncommon for them to offer me something to take with me or invite me in for tea.” After a frown, he continued quickly. “Not that I accept every time, but when I’m out I don’t feel hungry once I get home. And I never stay for tea.” The Doctor handed River a bottle of soda and slid a tray into the oven.

Opening the bottle and taking a deep sip, River frowned. “Why not?”

“I want people to trust me, to respect me.” The Doctor spoke softly, focusing on opening a can. “If I get too chummy with my patients, they’re not going to see me as the trustworthy figure that they can turn too in times of need. They’re going to see me as their mate, they’re not going to take me seriously. People could get hurt.” He swallowed, dumping the yellow contents of the can into a bowl.

River nodded. “I can understand that. I would never get too friendly with my students. I need them to like me but see me as an authority.” Another sip of soda. “So who do you get chummy with then? This isn’t exactly a bustling metropolitan farming community.”

“Oh, you know. I talk to Amy pretty regularly. And Rory, of course. Those two are pretty much inseparable.” He scratched the back of his neck. “I’m pretty busy, there’s not much time for hanging around with others. Even if I had time,” using his long arms, the Doctor gestured vaguely to their surroundings. “We’re pretty much in the middle of nowhere.”

River snorted, recalling the torturous long trip she had taken from her city to his isolated home. “You could say that.” A pause. “If you’re so busy, how come you let a complete stranger come and stay with you?”

The Doctor didn’t answer. Instead, he removed the tray from the oven and deposited its contents on a plate with a flourish. River recoiled only slightly from the strange combination of foods.

“Fish fingers and custard?” he offered. “It sounds rather nasty but actually makes for a wonderful midnight snack."

River sighed. If she had to choose between going to bed with a petulantly grumbling stomach or indulging in whatever this concoction was (and perhaps humoring the Doctor simultaneously), she had to admit to herself that the more interesting option sounded preferable. Therefore, she gingerly picked up a fish finger as she and the Doctor settled in for a meal and comfortable silence.


End file.
